Victor Arksing Ing was born on July 27, 1924, in Canton, China, according to his World War II draft card and Social Security application (transcribed at Ancestry.com).
A passenger list said Ing (line 8) was 15 years old when he departed from Hong Kong on November 11, 1938. He sailed aboard the steamship Empress of Japan which arrived in the port of Vancouver, British Columbia on November 29. He transferred to the steamship Princess Marguerite which took him to Seattle, Washington the same day.
Ing entered the United States as Ark Sing Ng who said he was born in “Hoy Ping” (Kaiping). His parents were Ng Dong and Jue Shee. Ing was assigned Chinese Exclusion Act case file number 7030 11726. Below are selected pages from his file.
The 1940 United States Census counted Ing (line 9) and his father, a proprietor of a printing shop, in Chicago, Illinois at 2324 Wentworth Avenue.
On December 12, 1942, Ing signed his World War II draft card. He was a student at Englewood High School. Ing’s description was five feet ten inches, 135 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
Ing’s veteran’s file, at Ancestry.com, said he served in the Army from August 1, 1946 to January 31, 1948. It’s not known what his duties were or where he served. At the time of his discharge, Ing was a corporal.
In the 1950 census, Ing (line 25) was a Chicago resident at 1111 East 61st Street. He was a printer and operated his own business. At the time, Ing had completed two years of college.
Ing and Winifred Eng married on December 24, 1951.
According to an American Watercolor Society label, Ing graduated from Art Institute of Chicago; he attended the University of Illinois, University of Chicago, and the Illinois Institute of Technology’s School of Design.
Apparently Ing’s earliest exhibit was in 1955. The Chicago Daily News, February 4, 1955, noted the show at Mandel’s.
Mandel’s art gallery under its director Jennie Purvin has the distinction of showing the work of young to relatively unknown Chicago artists. Occasionally work of top merit comes to light.The current exhibit consists of the work of John McNee who came to Chicago five years ago from California, Victor Ing who recently graduated from the Art Institute and Jean Plaut who is just beginning to exhibit.
Ing found employment in commercial art. Art Direction, July 1958, named two employers.
Victor Ing joins Bruce Beck DesignDesigner and painter Victor Ing has rejoined Bruce Beck Design after a period with Morton Goldsholl Design. Ing is a member of STA, a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has studied at the Institute of Design, and the University of Chicago. His watercolors have appeared in numerous exhibits and are part of many private collections.
It’s not known how long Ing was at the Beck studio.
Ing was a member of the Society of Typographic Arts. Art Direction, June 1959, listed Ing and others who did the installation of the STA exhibition.
Ing had some involvement with the Hyde Park Art Center.
Ing’s exhibition announcement was reproduced in American Artist, September 1960. His announcement was selected for the book, Advertising Art: International 1961/62.
In 1968, Ing was elected to membership in the American Watercolor Society.
The book, Acrylic Watercolor Painting (1970), featured Ing’s “Winter Trees”.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Ing’s watercolors of various birds were represented in the American Artists Group Christmas card catalogs. The samples below appeared in newspapers.
Ing’s watercolor, “Roses”, was entered in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Volume 26, Parts 7–11A, Number 2, Works of Art, July–December 1972.
Airguide Instrument Co.Roses. [Two long-stemmed; barometer] Model 1107. Watercolor by Victor Ing. Lithograph of painting. Signed: V. Ing. © Airguide Instrument Co.; 5Oct72; GP82165.
7 x 20.25 inches
The State Journal-Register, (Springfield, Illinois), May 19, 1988, reported the upcoming 27th annual Old Capitol Art Fair. Ing was one of five artists who had exhibited at the previous 26 fairs.
Ing passed away on November 20, 1997, in Niles, Illinois. The Chicago Tribune, November 23, 1997, published an obituary. Ing was laid to rest at Saint Peters United Church of Christ Cemetery.
Further Reading
NewsRounds, December 1970
NewsRounds, December 1971
NewsRounds, November 1973
NewsRounds, November 1978, photograph
NewsRounds, December 1978
NewsRounds, November 1983
(Next post on Monday: George Lee in “Ten Times Better”)
